Rising night time temperature reduces coffee yields

Climate change is affecting coffee growing areas in the East African highlands, leading to decreased in yields for farmers.

According to researchers based in Colombia, South Africa and Uganda, coffee supports the livelihoods of 2.4 million people in Tanzania, with the country generating an average earnings of US$100 million a year.

But the researchers add that despite global estimates of the impacts of climate change on coffee widely grown in the world — Coffea arabica — evidence in Tanzania are lacking, thus making it difficult for policymakersto invest in climate change adaptation strategies.